Steam-trap.



G. A. DUNHAM.

STEAM TRAP APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1911. Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

WITNESSES ATTGRNEYR CLAYTON AUBRA DUNHAM, OF MARSHALLTOWN. IOWA.

STEAMTRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

Application filed. June 15, 1911. Serial No. 633,274.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLAYTON' AUBRA DUiNHAM, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Marshalltown, in thecounty of Marshall and State of Iowa, have invented a new and ImprovedSteam-Trap, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in steam traps generally, andalthough adapted to be used in steam traps, drain valves andthermostatic regulators of various kinds, it is especially designed fora blast trap used in heating systems wherein a large quantity of air isforced over steam coils, thereby making an excessive amount ofcondensation and giving off water at a very high temperature, and theprimary objects of the invention are to provide suitable means forcarrying away the accumulated air and water of condensation from theheating system, and to that end to provide a thermostatic trap with afull, unolrstructed valve opening for the passage of air and the waterof condensation, and a valve having a large, fiat bearing surface, withmeans for adjusting itself to any irregularities existing between theexpansive parts of the valve and the valve seat and yet retain itsposition centrally over the Valve seat, and to provide in connectiontherewith means for enabling the valve to be quickly and easily removedand repaired. These and other objects of the invention hereinafterstated in connection with the individual parts. are accomplished by themeans illustrated. in the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical, transverse section of avalve casing with pipe connections, and

a side elevation of a thermostatic disk and valve connected therewith;Fig, 2 1s a vertlcal transverse section of the valve removed from thethermostatic disk, having a valve .and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of aretaining plate forming part of the valve proper. k I

As illustrated in the drawings, 1 repre sents a valve casing having aninlet pipe 2 and an outlet pipe 3 connected therewith.

The casing is also provided with a plug opening or pipe 4, for removingsediment and scale from the interior of the casing.

The casing 1 is provided with a bridge 5,

separating the casing into an upper or re-' ceiving chamber 6 and alower or discharge chamber 7. The bridge 5 is provided with a valve seat8 which, in its preferred form, is mounted upon or formed integrallywith the bridge 5. This valve seat preferably consists of an annularring having a full, unobstructed opening or discharge orifice 9, makinga passageway between the upper chamber (3 and lower chamber 7 A cap 10is attached to the upper portion of the cusing by means of bolte ll, andforms a closure for the upper portion of the valve casing. The innerside of the cap 10 is provided with a boss 12, having a thread engaginga threaded stud 13. This stud is provided with a flange 14, which issoldered or otherwise secured to a thermostatic disk, formed of twoannular sheets of thin metal 15 and 16, joined together at their outeredges and holdingintcriorly a volatile liquid. The sheets 15 and 1.6 areprovided with concentric corrugations, to facilitate the expansion andcontraction of the disk when subjected to the varying temperatures ofsteam and the water of condensation. The lower central portion of thethermostatic disk is provided with a hub 17, having a groove 18extending partway across the hub, and with ledges 19, adapted to receiveand hold the head or knob 20 of a valve stud or coupling to which theremaining portions of the valve proper are attached. The valve stud isalso provided with a flange or shoulder 21 and with a threaded shank 22.Thdflange 21 of the valve stud or coupling is provided with an offset23, forming substantially parallel shoulders 24, adapted tocengage aslot 25 formed in a retaining plate 26, said slot being preferablyslightly longer than the olfset 23 of the valve stud or coupling, sothat the retaining plate may be set or adjusted on or with the valvestud or couplin The retaining plate 26 is provided with ears orprojections 27 which, when in place, extend upward and opposite to theside wall of the hub 17 on the lower portion of the thermostatic disk.apart than the diameter of the hub 17 so as to allow a limitedad'ustment of the retaining plate 26 relatively to the hub 17. The knob20 of the valve stud or coupling is pref- The ears 27 are slightlywiderthan the oiiset 23 of the valve stud or coupling, by means of whichsaid cup may be adjusted relatively to the valve stud. The

cup 28 holds a bearing ring 30, preferably composed of vulcanizedrubber. The retaining cup 28, the bearing ring 30 and the retainingplate 26 are held in position by means of a threaded nut 31, preferablypro vided with :a flange 32, adapted to overlap the bearing ring 30 to alimited extent Cheri the device is in use, steam at a high temperatureenters the interior of the valve casing through the inlet pipe 2, and,by com.- ing in contact with the thermostatic disk, causes the volatileliquid therein to expand, and at the same time expanding saidthermostatic disk. The bearing ring 30 of the valve proper is sopositioned relatively to the valve seat that when the thermostatic diskbecomes heated and expands, the bearing ring 30 bears against the valveseat and closes the valve opening 9, so as to prevent further passage ofsteam through the trap.

The parts remain in such position until the water of condensationaccumulates in the return pipe or" the system and enters the upperchamber 6 of the trap. The tempera ture of the water being lower thanthat of the steam, causes the thermostatic disk to contract, and by saidcontraction of the disk thevalve is raised from its seat into theposition indicated in Fig. l of the drawings. The water of condensationand the accumulated air within the trap and ther turn pipe are then freeto pass through the opening 9 into the discharge chamber 7 and. outthrough the discharge pipe 3. The opening 9 being full in area and .treefrom any obstruction, such as a valve stem, enables the water ofcondensation and air to pass freely and quickly out through the trap.The steam then enters the interior of the trap through the inlet pipe2-, and, coming in contact with the thermostatic disk, again expands thedisk and brings the valve down on its seat and prevents any unnecessarydis therewith are adjustable toward or from the valve seat by means ofthe threaded connection between the stud 13 of the disk and the ing thebearing ring 30, is adjustable laterally on said stud, so that all ofsaid parts although attached to a detachable cover of the trap, may bereadily adjusted relatively to the valve seat and opening, while thevalve itself has a limited rocking move ment by virtue of its loosejointed connection with the hub 17 of the expansion disk so as to insurean even bearing for the valve on its seat, and permit the bearingsurface 30 of the valve to adjust itself to any inequality there may bein the valve seat. By vmeans of such construction, moreover, a valve isprovided which is simple in construction, eiiective in operation, anddurable in use, and adapted to enable all of the parts thereof to bereadily removed and cleaned'or repaired.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent: 4

1. A steam trap comprising a casing provided with a bridge forming inletand outlet chambers, a cap detachably secured to said casing, anexpansion disk detachably mounted on said cap and provided with a hubhaving a slot and oppositely-disposed ledges, a valve having a studprovided with l a rounded head adapted to have a limited rockingmovement within said slot, on said ledges, a retaining plate providedwith projections extending opposite the outer wall of said. hub andspaced slightly therefrom, a cup mounted on said stud, a bearing ringarranged within said cup, and means for binding said stud, retainingplate and cup together.

A steam trap comprising a casing having bridge forming inlet and outletchambers, a cap detachably secured to said casing and provided with aboss extending into the inlet chamber, an expansion disk arranged withinthe inlet chamber detachably secured to the boss of said cap andprovided with a slotted hub, a valve having a stud provided with arounded head freely engaging the slot of said hub and a flange having anolfset, a retaining plate having a slot slightly longer than the ofisetof said stud and provided with projections extending opposite the sidewall of said hub, a cup having a slot slightly longer than the ofiset ofsaid stud, a bearing ring held in said cup, and means for binding saidstud, retaining plate and cup together-.

3. In a steam trap the combination with a casing having an interiorvalve opening and seat, a cap detachably secured to said casing andprovided with an interior boss, an expansion disk adjustably mounted onsaid boss, a valve stud having a limited rocking movement on said diskand a limited ad ustment transversally thereof, and a valvemounted onsaid stud and adjustable laterally thereon.

4r. l'n a steam trap having a suitable casing, an expansion disk havinga hub provided with a slot and oppositel disposed ledges extendingpart-waythrougi said hub, a valve having a stud provided with a headadapted to have a limited rocking movement within said slot, a retainingplate mounted "on said stud adjustable transversely of said stud andprovided with projections extending opposite the outer wall of the hubof sald disk, a cup mounted on said stud and adjustable transversely ofsaid stud, a bearing ring arranged within said cup, and means forbinding said stud retaining plate and cup together.

5.'A steam trap comprlsing a casing, a cap provided on its inner sidewith a stud, an expansion disk having a threaded engagement with saidstud, and provided with and adjustable transversely of said stud"independently of said retaining plate, 'a bearing surface separable fromand mounted in said on and means for binding said stud retaining plateand'cup together.

6. A steam trap having a suitable casing provided with a valve openinand seat,ta cap detachably secured to sai provided with an interiorboss, an expansion disk adjustably secured to said boss, a valve studconnected with said disk and having a limited adjustment transversallythereof, means for limiting the transverse adjustment of said studrelatively to said disk, and a valve mounted on said stud and adjustablelaterall thereon.

In testimony w ereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLAYTON AUBRA D'UNH'AM. Witnesses A. RAY WELKER, D. R. Samsnrmr.

casing and i

